BMJ  2005;331:1234 (26 November), doi:10.1136/bmj.38603.375856.68 (published 7 October 2005)

Paper

Psychosocial effects of the 2001 UK foot and mouth disease epidemic in a rural population: qualitative diary based study

¹ Institute for Health Research, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YT, ² University of Central Lancashire, ³ International Centre for the Uplands, Lancaster University

Objectives To understand the health and social consequences of the 2001 foot and mouth disease epidemic for a rural population.

Design Longitudinal qualitative analysis.

Setting North Cumbria, the worst affected area in Britain.

Sample Purposive sample of 54 respondents divided in six demographically balanced rural occupational and population groups.

Main outcome measures 3071 weekly diaries contributed over 18 months; 72 semistructured interviews (with the 54 diarists and 18 others); 12 group discussions with diarists

Results The disease epidemic was a human tragedy, not just an animal one. Respondents' reports showed that life after the foot and mouth disease epidemic was accompanied by distress, feelings of bereavement, fear of a new disaster, loss of trust in authority and systems of control, and the undermining of the value of local knowledge. Distress was experienced across diverse groups well beyond the farming community. Many of these effects continued to feature in the diaries throughout the 18 month period.

Conclusions The use of a rural citizens' panel allowed data capture from a wide spectrum of the rural population and showed that a greater number of workers and residents had traumatic experiences than has previously been reported. Recommendations for future disaster management include joint service reviews of what counts as a disaster, regular NHS and voluntary sector sharing of intelligence, debriefing and peer support for front line workers, increased community involvement in disposal site or disaster management, and wider, more flexible access to regeneration funding and rural health outreach work.

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    StumbleUpon    Technorati    What's this?

Relevant Articles

Foot and mouth epidemic had wide sequelae
BMJ 2005 331: 0. [Full Text]

Communicable disease control must remain at local level

Nigel Calvert
BMJ 2001 323: 236. [Extract] [Full Text]

Human consequences of foot and mouth disease are more than described

Gillian Gibson
BMJ 2001 322: 1491. [Extract] [Full Text]

Public health concerns grow over foot and mouth outbreak

Mark Hunter
BMJ 2001 322: 881. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Foot and mouth disease: the human consequences

Henry Prempeh, Robert Smith, and Berit Müller
BMJ 2001 322: 565-566. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Patients' action during their cardiac event: qualitative study exploring differences and modifiable factors • Commentary: Grounded theory and the constant comparative method

Annmarie Ruston, Julie Clayton, Michael Calnan, and Judith Green
BMJ 1998 316: 1060-1065. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Qualitative Research: Reaching the parts other methods cannot reach: an introduction to qualitative methods in health and health services research

Catherine Pope and Nick Mays
BMJ 1995 311: 42-45. [Extract] [Full Text]

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Sims, R., Medd, W., Mort, M., Twigger-Ross, C. (2009). When a "Home" Becomes a "House": Care and Caring in the Flood Recovery Process. Space and Culture 12: 303-316 [Abstract]  
• Blue, G., Rock, M. (2008). Book review: Dolly Mixtures: The Remaking of Genealogy Sarah Franklin. Durham, NC, Duke University Press, 2007. 253 pp. ISBN 13 978 0-8223 3903 8 (pbk). US$22.95. Health (London) 12: 133-135  

Rapid Responses:

Read all Rapid Responses

Some beneficial effects of the 2001 UK foot and mouth epidemic!!

Mokhtar G E K N Isaac
bmj.com, 25 Nov 2005 [Full text]

Online poll

Find out more on doc2doc >>